Strawberry in Window Box

[veg4681]

I'm looking at a 2 feet long window box. How many strawberry plants can you realistically fit in? I'm thinking 4 is easily allowed but can I go beyond this? BTW all of my strawberry varieties are container suitable. Thanks.

[Alison]

I think pretty much any strawberry plants can be grown in containers but guess that some have a neater habit than others. Personally I'd only put a couple in but other people might cram in more. Also, it would be worth considering what variety you have as that will then make a difference on the spread of the plant.

BTW - nice isn't it, dreaming of summer fruit at this time of year!

[rustylady]

I think 4 would be the maximum to get a good crop, but having said that I've grown strawberries in troughs and jardinieres and they've done really well. Good luck.

[sewer rat]

I have a similar question. I hope to grow strawbs in my 75 hanging baskets in the tunnel next year. The baskets are 12" size. Can anyone out ther advise on suitable varieties for protected basket growing. ?

[Snadger]

I have a similar question. I hope to grow strawbs in my 75 hanging baskets in the tunnel next year. The baskets are 12" size. Can anyone out ther advise on suitable varieties for protected basket growing. ?

Do you intend selling the baskets with the strawberry plants in them or are you using the baskets to grow the strawberry fruit to sell?

If the latter, is it so you can grow veg in the soil and have the strawberries hanging above, to make full use of the polytunnel space available?

No particular reason for asking SR, just curios????

[sewer rat]

Snadger
The intention currently (though can change from day to day as my planning is not yet complete for next season) is to have the polytunnel work much harder next year, so no tomatoes then. Will start off all my young plants for the two garden centres and myself in the tunnel, followed by beans (french and runner) , early (Hispi) cabbages, cukes as per this year, chilli plants in pots on the staging with radishes and cut'n'come again salads in fishboxes underneath. Strawbs in the hanging baskets suspended from the crop bars. The plan is to grow the strawbs to produce marketable fruit. With careful planning I can fit all 75 baskets in without interfering with any other plantings, regardless of height of bean plants.
Trouble is that 40,000 young plants take up a lot of room !

[Cutecumber]

veg4681 - what are the other dimensions of your window box? At a length of 2ft I would go for two or three max, but it depend on its width and depth.

[veg4681]

veg4681 - what are the other dimensions of your window box? At a length of 2ft I would go for two or three max, but it depend on its width and depth.

The window box is the standard size, plastic ones from Wilko, measuring 2 ft long at the top, 1 ft 8" at the bottom and depth is 6" which I believe is deep enough. I notice that these stawberry jar/tub with holes aren't exactly big yet they have holes for 5-9 strawberry plants???

I read somewhere that you "don't need to hold back" from cramming them a bit with container growing but they never give you rough guide on the numbers!!! I'm planning on putting these boxes on the roof of our massive but sunken shed in the garden...anything for space acquiring.

[Cutecumber]

OK, but there's cramming and there's cramming.

Ideally, your strawberries will fruit for three years. Whether they will be very productive if you cram them in too much remains to be seen. I think it will be hard to keep five plants fed in that space, personally.

I am not suggesting that the plants won't grow and survive, but its the fruit you are interested in and which you want to maximise.

I'll do some more research on the matter and come back later...

[Cutecumber]

Well, it does seem that people cram them in. Growbags, especially.

I guess if there are too many you can remove one or two next year after they have cropped.

By the way I did find out something interesting...

Growing organic strawberry plants in containers is not permitted by the organic standards

Now I didn't know that.

[Flummery]

And I wonder why?

[Cutecumber]

it's not very sustainable - you have to get the growing media from somewhere. That's my guess.

Non-organic crops are mostly grown in soil-less systems in greenhouses, too, a bit like tomatoes.

[veg4681]

Well, it does seem that people cram them in. Growbags, especially.

I guess if there are too many you can remove one or two next year after they have cropped.

By the way I did find out something interesting...



Now I didn't know that.

Wot, I won't be organic! I'm sure that's for commercial growers seeking organic certification.

I found an interesting website (see link below) with different strawberry growing experiments, an awful lot of cramming going on in there.

http://www.tucsongardener.com/Year04...adventures.htm

Yes with Growbags, I've come across people suggesting putting 2 plants in each hole, that's 6 in total. I think I'll do mostly 4 plants per box and few boxes with 3 for comparison...until I hit upon the magic number. 5 would be pushing a bit, though could push it for a Mignonette alpine variety strawberry. Thanks Cutecumber for your input.

[Cutecumber]

I'm sure that's for commercial growers seeking organic certification.

yes it is, don't worry! We're not certifiable...

oh, hang on...

[sewer rat]

Rather than start a new thread I thought I'd revive this one. I have my varieties sorted out, but am still looking for advice on how many (if more than one) strawberry plants I could successfully crop in a 12" basket, so if anyone out there has grown strawbs in baskets, let me know how you got on and anyprobs you encountered. I'm about to submit all my seed & plant orders so any advice gtratefully appreciated